Washington Motorcycle Permit Practice Test 2026: Practice test 4

Practice test 4 of 6 for the Washington Motorcycle Permit Practice Test: 25 more questions with answers and explanations.

Motorcycle
Washington
128 questions
Checked October 10, 2026

Question 1 of 25
Marker 1 in the diagram shows the rider's head. What should you do with your head in a turn?
- Keep it level, with your eyes in line with the horizon
- Keep it turned to the side
- Tilt it with the motorcycle
- Look down at the road just ahead
Show answer
Answer: A. Keep it level, with your eyes in line with the horizon
Turn just your head to look through the turn, and keep your eyes level with the horizon.
Question 2 of 25
Your engine seizes (locks up) while riding. What should you do?
- Brake hard and keep the clutch out
- Try to restart it while moving
- Squeeze the clutch lever and pull off the road
- Shift down quickly
Show answer
Answer: C. Squeeze the clutch lever and pull off the road
Squeezing the clutch disconnects the locked engine from the rear wheel.
Question 3 of 25
In the diagram, which lane position is the left third of the lane, next to the center line?
- Position 2
- Position 1
- Position 3
Show answer
Answer: B. Position 1
Lane position 1 is the left third of the lane.
Question 4 of 25
What is lane splitting?
- Riding on the shoulder
- Riding two motorcycles side by side in one lane
- Changing lanes quickly
- Riding between lanes of stopped or slower-moving traffic
Show answer
Answer: D. Riding between lanes of stopped or slower-moving traffic
Lane splitting means riding between rows of vehicles. Most states do not allow it; check your state's law.
Question 5 of 25
What do you do in the Execute step of SEE?
- Decide not to ride
- Act: communicate, change speed or change position
- Count seconds
- Only check your mirrors
Show answer
Answer: B. Act: communicate, change speed or change position
Execute means carrying out your decision, such as slowing, moving within your lane or using your horn.
Question 6 of 25
About how fast does the body get rid of alcohol?
- About one drink per hour
- About three drinks per hour
- As fast as you drink coffee
- About one drink per day
Show answer
Answer: A. About one drink per hour
The body removes alcohol at about one drink per hour. Nothing speeds this up.
Question 7 of 25
Under implied consent laws, what do you agree to by riding on public roads?
- To take a skills test every year
- To ride only in daylight
- To be tested for alcohol or drugs if a police officer asks
- To carry a passenger when asked
Show answer
Answer: C. To be tested for alcohol or drugs if a police officer asks
Refusing a test can lead to losing your license.
Question 8 of 25
What does it mean to cover the clutch and brakes?
- Keep your fingers and foot on the controls, ready to use them
- Hold the brakes fully on
- Put the controls in neutral
- Take your hands off the controls
Show answer
Answer: A. Keep your fingers and foot on the controls, ready to use them
Covering the controls cuts the time you need to react in risky places such as intersections.
Question 9 of 25
In a slow, tight turn, such as a U-turn, how should you lean?
- Put both feet down and walk it around
- Lean your body farther than the motorcycle
- Keep the motorcycle and your body straight up
- Keep your body upright while the motorcycle leans
Show answer
Answer: D. Keep your body upright while the motorcycle leans
For slow, tight turns, lean the motorcycle only and keep your body straight to counterbalance.
Question 10 of 25
A car is riding beside you in the next lane. What should you do?
- Speed up or drop back so you are not in its blind spot
- Honk and stay where you are
- Move closer to it
- Stay beside it
Show answer
Answer: A. Speed up or drop back so you are not in its blind spot
Riding next to a car can put you in its blind spot, and it may move into your lane.
Question 11 of 25
What path through a curve does the diagram show?
- Inside, then outside, then inside
- Close to the road edge the whole way
- Outside, then inside, then outside
- The center of the lane the whole way
Show answer
Answer: C. Outside, then inside, then outside
With no traffic, enter at the outside, move toward the inside at the middle of the curve, and exit at the outside.
Question 12 of 25
Many motorcycles have convex (curved) mirrors. How do they make other vehicles look?
- Upside down
- Exactly as far as they are
- Closer than they really are
- Farther away than they really are
Show answer
Answer: D. Farther away than they really are
Convex mirrors show a wider view, but cars look farther away than they are. Judge distances with care.
Question 13 of 25
Just before your front wheel hits an object, what should you do?
- Brake hard
- Pull in the clutch
- Roll on the throttle slightly to lighten the front end
- Lean back and stiffen your arms
Show answer
Answer: C. Roll on the throttle slightly to lighten the front end
A little throttle just before impact lightens the front wheel so it rides over the object more easily.
Question 14 of 25
On a wet road, which part of the lane is usually best?
- The shoulder
- Over the painted lines
- The tire tracks left by cars
- The oily center strip
Show answer
Answer: C. The tire tracks left by cars
Car tire tracks are often the driest and cleanest part of the lane.
Question 15 of 25
Where is the clutch lever?
- Under the seat
- At your right foot
- In front of the left handgrip
- In front of the right handgrip
Show answer
Answer: C. In front of the left handgrip
The clutch lever is on the left side of the handlebars.
Question 16 of 25
Usually, how should you cross railroad tracks that cross your lane?
- Ride straight across within your lane
- Stop on the tracks to look
- Swerve across lanes to hit them at exactly 90 degrees
- Brake hard while crossing
Show answer
Answer: A. Ride straight across within your lane
It is usually safer to ride straight across within your lane than to turn sharply to meet the tracks at 90 degrees.
Question 17 of 25
Which surfaces can be very slippery for a motorcycle?
- Dry concrete in the sun
- Painted lines, steel plates and manhole covers, especially when wet
- Dry, rough asphalt
- Clean, dry pavement
Show answer
Answer: B. Painted lines, steel plates and manhole covers, especially when wet
Paint and metal give much less traction than pavement, especially when wet.
Question 18 of 25
How should you cross a pavement seam or tracks that run parallel to your path?
- Edge across slowly at a slight angle
- Move away from them, then cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees
- Cross them at full speed at any angle
- Ride along on top of them
Show answer
Answer: B. Move away from them, then cross at an angle of at least 45 degrees
Edging across a parallel seam can catch your tires. Cross at 45 degrees or more with a quick, sharp turn.
Question 19 of 25
How should you ride across a metal bridge grating?
- Zigzag to keep traction
- Brake hard on the grating
- Stop and walk the motorcycle across
- Relax, keep a steady speed and ride straight across
Show answer
Answer: D. Relax, keep a steady speed and ride straight across
The grating may make the motorcycle feel unsteady, but riding straight at a steady speed is safe.
Question 20 of 25
When should you NOT wear a tinted face shield or tinted glasses?
- At night or in low light
- On the highway
- On sunny days
- On hot days
Show answer
Answer: A. At night or in low light
Tinted eye protection blocks light you need to see at night and in dim conditions.
Question 21 of 25
Why start a curve near the outside of your lane when no traffic is present?
- It hides you from other drivers
- It keeps you on the shoulder
- You can see farther around the curve and make the turn less sharp
- It lets you brake in the curve
Show answer
Answer: C. You can see farther around the curve and make the turn less sharp
Starting at the outside improves your line of sight and makes the curve's path wider and gentler.
Question 22 of 25
A friend has been drinking and wants to ride home. What can you do?
- Give them coffee and let them go
- Ride behind them to watch
- Arrange a safe ride, or keep them there until they are sober
- Let them ride slowly
Show answer
Answer: C. Arrange a safe ride, or keep them there until they are sober
Step in: arrange a ride, slow their drinking, or keep them from riding. Get other friends to help.
Question 23 of 25
When should you use the front brake?
- Only above 30 mph
- Every time you slow down or stop, together with the rear brake
- Never on wet roads
- Only in an emergency
Show answer
Answer: B. Every time you slow down or stop, together with the rear brake
Use both brakes every time you slow or stop, so using the front brake becomes a habit.
Question 24 of 25
Besides a knowledge test, what test do most riders pass to earn a motorcycle license?
- A written essay
- A yearly medical exam
- An on-cycle skills test
- A parking test in a car
Show answer
Answer: C. An on-cycle skills test
Most states require a knowledge test and an on-cycle skills test. An approved rider course can often replace the skills test.
Question 25 of 25
Which drinks hold about the same amount of alcohol?
- A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a mixed drink with one shot of liquor
- A beer holds much less than a shot of liquor
- A beer holds twice as much as a glass of wine
- A glass of wine holds no alcohol
Show answer
Answer: A. A 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a mixed drink with one shot of liquor
A can of beer, a glass of wine and one shot of liquor each hold about the same amount of alcohol.

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